Say It Isn't So
by NightcatMau
Summary: Valkyrie knows she loves Skulduggery, but also that China has his heart. Can she let go of her love for him and learn to accept his prolonged absence? This started out as a one-shot, but I couldn't let Valkyrie end up alone. Yes, t'is Valduggery. Reposted by reader request. Rated T for implied adult relationships. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, China, or Skulduggery. I do however own a copy of the art described herein. Val is about 24 here, simply because this was my first story with her being 24. 'Black Roses Red' is an excellent song used in a Valduggery video, and 'Say It Isn't So' is a song by Hall and Oates you need to hear.

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Valkyrie sighed, replacing the black fabric over the wall sculpture. Covered like that, you'd never suspect what it was. And hidden in the shadows behind her desk nobody noticed it. Not, she thought glumly, that she got any visitors. She and Skulduggery were still partners, but they worked together less and less. So now, to fill the lonely hours, she'd started writing drabbles online. She liked them and was quite good at it. It helped her not think about the new partner Skulduggery must have. Or him surely needing to see China.

Even after all China had done to him, he'd still used her as a source and Valkyrie was no child anymore. She recognized the looks he gave her. _Stop it_. She scolded herself. _No good ever came from thinking like that_.

She also knew if Skulduggery ever saw the 'art' behind her, he'd put two and two together as well. But she never had told him. Clearly China was closer to him in age, even if she did help murder his family. Plus China had implied at their first meeting she had a past with Skulduggery. _Did he cheat on his wife?_ Valkyrie shook her head. The story was going nowhere tonight, she shut off the computer and leaned back to rub her eyes. She heard a rustle of fabric behind her, and whirled around, leaping out of the chair to land deftly in a fighting position.

But it had only been the covering on the art falling down. The skeleton swain grinned down at her, mocking her. His lover wrapped around him from behind. It was supposed to be memorial art. Memorial art her right eye. It was 'Death and the Maiden', redone. She just couldn't face it anymore, seeing what she couldn't ever have. She'd bought the stupid thing years ago when she first realized how she felt, had kept it hidden away all these years. Now she had to hide it in darkness. It was better off gone, blotted from existence.

She flicked her You Tube account back on, went to a song, 'Black Roses Red'. As it played she simply stared at the art, then splayed out her hand towards it. There was a soft sigh, and it blew apart into dust. The dust swirling on the air she manipulated and into the fireplace. _Ashes to ashes, dust to dust._ She though, bitterly. Now he would never know, and it would be OK that he didn't call her anymore, or so much as visit. She dug in her desk, found the one photo she had of them together.

She clicked her fingers, drew flame. She tossed the photo on the neatly stacked wood of the fireplace and watched it burn. The song had ended and she saw a suggested video on the screen. 'Say It Isn't So.'

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**Yes, there's a second part, but I have to find it again, give a woman time.**


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery or Ghastly. Say it Isn't So was meant to be a one shot, but I couldn't stand to see such good friends stay apart. Val is again 24 since it is the next day. Story is from for Val's POV. A billion thanks go out to **ValduggeryRules** and **PierDreams** for reviewing! Oh. as this is an older story it isn't my fault Landy drove a cart and horses through it with LSOTDM. But that's why it is called fan fiction, kittens.

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I woke up the next morning feeling stupid, ashamed and cheapened. The love was supposed to go away when I destroyed all the things that remind me of him. That's how these things are supposed to work. I'd let him go, I'd let China win. Why wasn't I happy now, or at peace?

Miserable I slunk into my office after dressing and put some coffee on. I got out Uncle Gordon's Echo Stone. I needed the company. He blinked in pleasure at seeing my office for the first time. Done in outdated yet classic style it was everything a film noir detective could desire. Only this wasn't film noir, and I was now seriously regretting my decorating decisions. I had thought I had forever with Skulduggery.

Gordon chattered on about how it reminded him of one of his greatest novels, then saw the look on my face and fell silent. I shrugged. He'd known the truth for some time, he'd noticed the missing sculpture and the cold ashes in the fireplace. Awkwardly, he tried to hug me, stopping just before he would have went through me. I let him hold me for a moment, then stepped back. I didn't want his pity, I just wanted to know when I'd feel better. Before either of us could say anything, my mobile rang. Ghastly.

"Elder Bespoke, to what do I owe the pleasure?" I asked cheerfully. Teasing him about his status always made me smile.

I heard him groan in response. "Don't call me that, it's creepy. I need your help. It's about Skulduggery. Something's gone wrong. He's in my office, catatonic. He just walked in, sat down, and that was it. " I could hear the concern in his voice and felt terrible for Skulduggery.

"Are you sure he isn't meditating? You know he's impossible to get to when he's like that."

"No it isn't that. Something's wrong, Valkyrie. I know you two have been on the outs, but he needs you right now. I do not want the Sanctuary doctors getting a hold of him like this. They'd lock him up and he'd never see daylight again." I felt my heart drop and mumbled I'd be there as soon as possible.

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I'd driven recklessly and I skidded my blue 1950 Chevy Sedan Convertible halfway onto the Sanctuary lawn. I figured they could bill me for the damage later. I raced in to Ghastly's office. Skulduggery was now lying huddled in his chair, shivering. He took one look at me and buried his head in the arm of the chair. His hat had fallen to the floor, but he made no move to retrieve it. Then he had to be sick, or something was seriously wrong. Damn that woman. What had she done to him?

I moved towards him slowly, only hearing the soft keening sound he was making as I got close. "Skulduggery." I breathed, reaching out to softly stroke his skull. He flinched, made another miserable sound. My heart broke, but I couldn't stop trying to comfort him, not when he was like this. Eventually he relaxed underneath my touch, tilted his head out to peer at me. If it were possible I knew his eye sockets would have been filled with tears.

"Valkyrie? It is you? You're real?" He held out a beseeching hand and I took it, giving in when it turned into a grab and he easily lifted me into the chair with him. His grip was tight as if he thought I were another hallucination. He buried the front of his skull in my shoulder, still shaking. Whatever he had seen or been through had terrified him.

I looked up at Ghastly who nodded and left us, closing the door to his office behind him. I held Skulduggery close to me, my mind whirling. What had happened to him? Had China rejected him? I must of growled her name out without realizing it, because his head came up and he looked at me, confused. "What does China have to do with anything?" He asked.

"I'm assuming you're like this because she did something to you." He sat up at these words looking at me in surprise.

"I haven't even seen China since the day I found out she killed my family. What would make you think I did?" His words made my face flush.

"Because she told me you had. She was absolutely gloating about it. Gloating! So I believed her." Skulduggery made a sympathetic sound and pulled me towards him.

"I don't know what she told you Valkyrie, but it isn't true. This explains...she told you several months ago yes? That explains it then. I thought I'd done something to make you angry, so I started staying away. I had no idea she'd told you something like that or I would have never stayed away. As you can see, it, well, being away from you didn't work out too well for me. I haven't had any cases because I couldn't, not without you. Ghastly told you nothing because I assumed you wanted it that way. To be away from me. " His skeletal fingers stroked my hair softly, the other arm wrapped firmly around me. He continued, softly.

"When you didn't call anymore and didn't ask Ghastly about me, I assumed the worst. I assumed you didn't care for me. I didn't even want to be alive anymore, not without you by my side, but I kept living, or rather, I kept being a living skeleton."

"The only thing that gave me hope was the thought that one day you'd come rescue me again, like you did before. That you'd forgive me for whatever it was I did to make you so very angry with me. If there ever was anything, ever at any time, I apologize and I beg your forgiveness. Whatever I did, it was inexcusable. I, just, I can't... Please don't leave me alone, not again." He fell silent at last, the soft keening sound returning. I wrapped my arms around him, trying to show him there was nothing to forgive. But he needed to be told.

I cupped his skeletal face in my hands, making sure he was looking at me. "Skulduggery Pleasant, you are the world's most exasperating man. I might be young and stupid enough to fall for what China said, but you, you're the one who should have known better. When have I ever stayed away from you willingly, outside of the Lord Vile thing?" He smiled faintly.

I pulled him toward me, not wanting to face him as I continued. "China saw the truth, she'd known about it for some time and used it to hurt me. I don't know why. Maybe to get revenge on you, maybe, because as you warned me, she can't be trusted. She told me you'd been to see her, often. I don't think I need to tell you the rest." He pulled back to look at me in confusion, then comprehension dawned on his skeletal features.

"You love me?" He asked, wonder in his velvety voice. I only nodded. I couldn't speak, suddenly I didn't want to be there, didn't want to hear his 'I love you as a friend' speech. I tried to rise, to make excuses, but he hushed me by placing his bony fingertips to my lips.

"Don't talk." He ordered. "Just nod yes or shake your head no, got it?" I nodded yes.

"You love me?" I nodded.

"You do realize I am dead?" I nodded again, smiling.

"You're quite aware I am a skeleton?" I nodded furiously, pleased with the playful tone in his voice.

"You realize I could arrest you for all sorts of things if I said I loved you and you accepted me as I am?" I broke into a huge grin. I couldn't help myself, and nodded happily.

"Well then, if you realize I can arrest you at any time, and that it is a crime in any decent society to become my wife I'll let you speak now." I flung my arms around him, God, I was being mushy, but I didn't care.

"Of course I'll marry you Skulduggery. You don't even have to ask." He snorted in amusement.

"I didn't ask, I implied. You do know you'd be my wife in name only? There isn't a vicar alive or dead who'd marry you to me? But if you can accept that, and trust me to be loyal, because I will be loyal, then we are married as far as I'm concerned."

I smiled up at him and nodded, willingly giving in as he pressed his teeth to my lips. There wasn't anything in the world I had ever wanted more.

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**Yeah I know, kind of mushy. But I swore I heard Skulduggery protesting the idea of him ever abandoning Valkyrie mightily. Plus I really like Val and couldn't bear to see her stay unhappy.**


End file.
